Bonjour Paris

One of my daughters is currently living in Paris.  Before she left we watched an American in Paris together.  Therefore, in her honor – I would like to do an hommage to Paris.  “The Last Time I Saw Paris” (Elizabeth Taylor movie) was back in the 70’s and I have been trying to get back ever since. 

Everyone knows (I hope) Gigi and Casablanca.  I remember the first time I saw “A New Kind of Love” staring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.  One of the funniest movies you can find.   Another great film is the original Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn.  While most of it does not take place in Paris, it is a must see.  I spent years practicing how to break an egg with one hand.  In fact, this movie inspired me to take a cooking class while I was a student there – that and it provided me with a great meal while I took the class.  Other great films to watch are:  How to Steal A Million (Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole), Amelie (even if you don’t speak French – watch it), Charade (I’ll watch anything with Cary Grant), French Kiss (Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan; speaking of Kevin Kline – two must sees are Princess Caraboo with wife Phoebe Cates and Drop Dead Fred- although they don’t  take place in Paris), Funny Face with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn (I have always preferred Ginger Rogers to any of his other dancing partners), the Red Shoes (with Moira Shearer), The Story of Three Loves (also with Moira Shearer).  While not set in Paris, I would be remiss in not mentioning one of my all time favorite films – The King of Hearts (Le Roi de Coeur with Geneviève Bujold and Alan Bates),  Ninotchka (Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas), Camille (also Greta Garbo), French Kiss (wait for the ending titles and listen to Kevin Kline sing La Mer), Marie Antoinette (Tyrone Power and Norma Shearer), Irma la Douce (my mother took me to see that when I was home sick one day and boy did she have a hard time trying to explain to me what profession Shirley MacLaine’s character was), Desiree (Jean Simmons, Merle Oberon and Michael Rennie), Cousin-cousine (the French version)and while not a movie, who could ever forget Sex and the City An American Girl in Paris:Part Une et Deux.

Well this list should start you off as you visit La vie en rose.   As Josephine Baker once sang, ” J’ai deux amours-Mon pays et Paris”  (I have two loves – my country and Paris).